Melissa Etheridge guests on mtvU

“Professor” Etheridge on mtvU

mtvU, MTV’s 24-hour college network, continued its surprise “Stand In” event series by hosting music legend and cancer survivor Melissa Etheridge at UCLA. With mtvU cameras following, Etheridge surprised UCLA’s “Biology of Cancer” class where she greeted the unsuspecting students as their surprise “Stand In” professor for the class. In addition to discussing medical, sociological and psychological impacts of cancer on the individual and society, Etheridge shared her own experience with the student about coping with and surviving cancer. mtvU’s “Stand In” with Melissa Etheridge will premiere on-air and online at www.mtvU.com on Monday, October 17, 2005 at noon (ET).

“Having the opportunity to speak to a classroom of potential pioneers in the field of cancer was an opportunity that mtvU afforded me that I could not pass up,” said Etheridge. “Giving these young men and women the change to meet a cancer survivor and hearing my story will hopefully make them better doctors and scientists.”

Etheridge has recorded eight albums over the course of her career. She has won the Grammy® Award for Best Female Rock Vocal Performance twice -- for the song “Ain’t It Heavy” in 1992 and “Come to My Window” in 1994. In 1996, she was honored with the prestigious ASCAP “Songwriter of the Year” award. In October 2004, Etheridge was diagnosed with breast cancer and has become an outspoken advocate to eradicate the disease. At the 2005 Grammy® Awards, she made a return to the stage and performed a tribute to Janis Joplin. Etheridge was praised for her performance, which was considered one of the highlights of the show. The Kansas-born singer/songwriter has sold more than 30 million records worldwide and her greatest hits collection, Greatest Hits The Road Less Traveled, was released on October 4, 2005.

Melissa Etheridge is the latest national public figure to participate as a guest in mtvU’s “Stand In” event series. Each stepping in as guest professor and teaching a class unique to their experience and background, previous participants include Kanye West, Shimon Peres, Elie Wiesel, Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Ashley Judd, Russell Simmons, author Tom Wolfe, rapper Nas, Marilyn Manson, Snoop Dogg, Senator John McCain, and Sting.

mtvU is the largest, most comprehensive television network just for college students. 24hrs a day, 7days a week, mtvU can be seen in the dining areas, fitness centers, student lounges and dorm rooms of campuses throughout the U.S. mtvU is dedicated to every aspect of college life, reaching students everywhere they hang out, through a three pronged approach -- on-air, online and on campus. mtvU focuses on content including music programming, news, student life features, events, pro-social initiatives and more.

For more information about mtvU, and for a complete programming schedule, visit www.mtvu.com.